


Purple Heart

by JustYourProblem



Category: Mystery Skulls (Band), Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Arthur plays cupid, Both videos inspired, Character Death, Four shot, Gen, Lewis and Arthur are friends, One sentance promp, Small cussing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2016-05-02
Packaged: 2018-06-05 21:45:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6724759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustYourProblem/pseuds/JustYourProblem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur sat up with a small shake as he looked into the van. He watched as Mystery the dog, not kitsune, look at a flower petal with fear as Vivi snored on. Arthur was confused on why a lotus petal would scare a creature like Mystery but he didn't have time to think.<br/>Soon, a horn from a semi truck was sounded from behind him and he looked to see why. What he saw was a black and purple truck barring towards them with VERY pissed off ghost at the wheel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm trying to get back in to Grove of writing and found a one sentence promp. Well, it gave me this idea and while I would love to make it into a one shot, I had to go big or go home. So here's a three shot where I'll update the next couple of days. So enjoy!

Arthur was only six when he last saw his father. He had gone onto a small road trip to the airport with his dad and uncle to see his father off. His father was in the Marines and was about to be deployed once more.  
Arthur remembered hugging his dad, thinking he’ll be back right away. His little mind didn't know that six months was long and so he made his father promise to be safe with indifference.  
After his father had bord his flight, Arthur went home with his Uncle Lance, his gardian while his dad was gone.  
He remembered waking up every morning and going outside in his pajamas to sit at the front steps, thinking his dad was going to come home that day. He did this for three months, until one day, it happened.  
His dad left, a flag came back.  
The funeral itself was nice. They had the guns firing, the taps was played, and a solder gave Arthur his father's purple heart. Arthur had tried to trade that purple heart with the priest when he came by, to get his dad back, but it didn't work.  
Lance had worried about Arthur for a while after that. Arthur would still wake up early in the mornings after the funeral and sit on the front steps, waiting for his father. He took him to a psychiatrist who tried to help Arthur with all he could. That's where he met Lewis Pepper.  
Arthur was put in a small child group where kids with parent problems his age can gather and learn to cope and also make new friends. Lewis was being picked on by some kids when the counselor wasn't looking for not being born in the country and for not having any real parents. Without thinking about it, Arthur pushed a bully away.  
It had started a brawl and while Arthur got in trouble for pushing a kid instead of letting an adult know, Lewis thanked him.  
“But why did you help me?” Lewis asked when it was just him and Arthur, his voice thick with an unknown accent.  
“My daddy always told me that we have to protect those who can't protect themselves,” Arthur said as he made sure to pinch his nose to help his nose stop bleeding.  
“Your Papa sounds like a kind man,” Lewis said.  
“He was,” Arthur replied back.  
That was when it had hit Arthur. That his father was dead and not coming back. He started to cry then, missing his dad and wanting him back. The counselor and guardians found the boys hugging each other, Arthur finally calming down and feeling bad for getting blood and tears all over Lewis's shirt.  
After that day, they started to become friends and hang out some more. The Pepper family always welcomed Arthur over with open arms when he came to visit and Uncle Lance supervised Lewis in the kitchen at sleep overs so he can cook Arthur foods his family taught him.  
One day, when the boys were in high school, Lewis met Vivi. Well, it was more like he saw her in the hallways and the freshman was too shy to talk to the senior.  
“Come on man, it's as plain daylight that you like her. Go talk to her,” Arthur told his friend at lunch one day.  
“I don't know. I mean, I'm a freshman and she's a senior. Wouldn't that be weird?” Lewis asked as he picked his lunch he packed.  
“Nah man, not at all,” Arthur said as he enjoyed the lunch that Lewis made for him. “Rumor is she's a super senior who's been held back because she keeps blowing up the home ec projects and have to get that credit to graduate. Perhaps you can offer your assistance.”  
“I just...I don't know,” Lewis sighed.  
Arthur felt bad for Lewis. He knew the purple giant had the biggest crush on the bluenette and it wouldn't be that long before she finally get the sexist credit and leave the school. Who knows when the next chance will come where they could talk?  
“I think I have something that might help you,” Arthur said. “Meet me at school entrance before school tomorrow okay?”  
Although unsure anything Arthur would do will help, Lewis agreed. The next morning, Arthur had given him a small felt box. It was slightly warn from the last ten years but the purple heart inside it looked well kept and loved.  
“Your dad's purple heart,” Lewis said in shock.  
“Yep. Given to me on my old man's funeral for saving his teammate,” Arthur said. “It's been my lucky charm but I think you need it more than me now. Besides, I'm a more yellow and orange kind of dude myself. You’re more purple than me.”  
“Arthur, I'm not keeping it but I will borrow it for now,” Lewis said as he put the box in his pocket.  
“Yes you are. Like I said, I'm yellow and orange, your purple,” Arthur huffed as he crossed his arms.  
The warning bell rang then and Arthur left before Lewis could argue.  
At lunch, Arthur had walked into the cafeteria and saw Lewis talking to Vivi. He smiled when he saw Lewis mouthed thank you.  
For a couple of months after that, Lewis spent more time with Vivi, trying to help her get her credit. Even while he was busy, he kept trying to give the purple heart back to Arthur. Each time Arthur denied it and told Lewis to keep it.  
“Just take it back already Arthur, I don't want to keep something that's your dad,” Lewis said one night over the phone as Arthur got ready for bed.  
“I said don't worry about it, I have his flag and some of his other stuff,” Arthur huffed as he tried to keep his phone on his ear by pressing it onto his shoulder so he could get his pajamas pants on. “Keep the metal.”  
“No,” Lewis said firmly.  
With a frustrated sigh, Arthur plopped onto his bed, uncaring that he didn't get his pants on all the way. “Your going to keep bugging me until I get it back huh?”  
“You got it.”  
Arthur let out a small huff as an idea came to his mind. “Okay, how about this? You keep the metal until I do something to earn it? Like how my dad did.”  
There was a pause on the phone and Arthur didn't think Lewis would agree, but he did.  
After that, Lewis stopped bugging him to take the metal back.  
It didn't take long for Vivi to pass home ec just enough and of course, she had to meet Arthur who sent her the angel who helped her. While more energetic and a horror fanatic, Arthur liked Vivi enough to start calling her a friend.


	2. Chapter 2

After high school, Vivi didn't go to college and instead worked at a bookstore called Tomb Tome. Arthur and Lewis would come by when she was working and hang out. Sometimes they would get more books while they were there too.  
One day, when the boys were sophomores, Vivi came up with the idea of having a supernatural hunting group. While Arthur wasn't for it, Lewis was and since he was the only one in the group with a vehicle, he joined.  
They soon began to hit hot spots for the supernatural and ghosts that mostly sent Arthur flying back to the safety of his van. This caused alone time for Lewis and Vivi, which in turn had them start dating.  
Arthur didn’t understand why, but when they did, he began to feel like the fourth wheel. Hell, Mystery the dog got to sit in the front with the couple while he was stuck in the back.  
This had caused him to feel jealousy and so instead of running to the van when scared, he ran behind Lewis just so that they wouldn't be alone.  
One night, when Arthur was twenty two, he was the one who actually suggested a haunt to visit. He had looked up some places and had found a cave that was said to be an old satanic gathering ground. He got permission from the owner of the land to go and for once Arthur was all for it.  
Until he was once again pushed to the back of the van with Vivi leading the case. Sure, Arthur wasn't one for leading and was a scaredy cat, but he didn't want this. To be pushed aside and viewed less than a dog.  
When they got to the cave, while still jealous, he was scared. Lewis saw this and so when they came to a split in the cave, he suggested that he and Arthur went up while Vivi and Mystery gone the other path. This was to help Arthur feel safe and protected while they checked out the place.  
Unfortunately for them though, it lead Arthur onto a path of a demon who possessed him and killed Lewis.  
With his arm ripped off by a giant kitsune, Arthur felt guilt ridden. He had chosen this place to be part of the group and there he went, breaking the group up by killing his best friend.  
Due to the blood loss, Arthur passed out but when he woke up, his brain had done something to protect himself. Unlike Vivi, he remembered Lewis but like her, he couldn't remember the cave much. It was all a blur but he did know that he went in with Lewis and came to meet Mystery who ripped his arm off. Since no body was found in the cave, Arthur didn't know that Lewis had died.  
For the next six months, Arthur had worked on a robotic arm to replace his missing one and to find Lewis. While he was successful on the limb, he wasn't so much on finding the alpaca loving male. Vivi didn't want him to stay cooped up though and suggested that they go for a ride to the town next over since they were having a gathering for robotics.  
While Arthur appreciated the gesture, he didn't want to go. They did however went to the nearby woods to their old hangout spot.  
On the way back, something happened to the van and they stopped by a house they never seen before. Vivi of course was all for seeing what was making the seemly abandoned house glow purple and Arthur didn't want her to go alone.  
Once they got inside though, Arthur was in a small piece of hell. There was actual tiny ghosts that chased them around until they got chased around by the Boss Skeleton Ghost. Arthur had no idea why but B.S.G. really had it out for him.  
Not for Vivi though which was clear to see when she stepped in-between them when B.S.G. cornered Arthur. The ghost had tried to give her his floating beating heart but that freaked Arthur too much. He saw a chance and he took it by grabbing Vivi and running.  
This pissed the ghost off for Arthur thought he wanted Vivi, not knowing that he actually caused the anchor to drop and crack. They had to avoid purple flames as they ran the hall and just took a flying leap down the front steps, not wanting to chance it.  
Once in the van, Arthur drove for a while as Vivi started to talk about the ghost. It didn't take too long for the adrenaline to leave both young adults though and Vivi went to sleep in the back.  
Being too tired to drive and having a slight jolt of awareness due to feeling like something unusual, Arthur pulled to the side of the road and pulled his laptop out. He thought it was odd the first time they met a ghost it was right in the middle of the distance to the cave where Lewis went missing and where their home town was. He placed that on the small map he made, unknowing if it was a clue or a coincidence but not taking a chance anyway.  
Arthur began to feel more tired then, which he expected since he was awake for the past six days straight. He had thought about joining Vivi in a small nap but he wanted to look at something first. It was a picture taken a week before Lewis went missing. They were all hanging out at the Pepper Paradiso and Mr. and Mrs. Pepper had given Arthur a shake. Unknowing to Arthur, Lewis's little sister Cayenne had put ghost pepper juice in it, making it spicy. One sip and Arthur felt like he drank fire itself, with a bit of sweetness. While Lewis was worried for his friend and Vivi found the little troublemaker snickering under the table, Belle took the picture with a big grin. While he didn't like the experience himself, Arthur did like the photo.  
He was about to close the laptop then when he looked over and saw something he wish to never see again: Mystery in his kitsune form. With a startled yelp, Arthur threw up his laptop and flailed a bit before grabbing his robotic arm, afraid Mystery would rip that off too. He didn't have time to try to run or anything as his laptop landed on his head and in a small daze, he fell out of the van.  
“Arthur, stop being a dork and go to sleep,” Arthur heard Vivi say with a yawn.  
Arthur sat up with a small shake as he looked into the van. He watched as Mystery the dog, not kitsune, look at a flower petal with fear as Vivi snored on. Arthur was confused on why a lotus petal would scare a creature like Mystery but he didn't have time to think.  
Soon, a horn from a semi truck was sounded from behind him and he looked to see why. What he saw was a black and purple truck barreling towards them with VERY pissed off ghost at the wheel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I finished this now! I'll be posting a new chapter every day around 6:30 PST.


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur had little time to get up and into the van as the truck kept getting close enough and closer. He slammed the back doors shut just as he heard the ghost scream his name and the tires squeal as they tried to stop.  
Vivi was slowly waking up in the confusion just as Arthur turned the van on and sped out of there like a bat out of hell.  
“Arthur! What's going on?” Vivi cried as she was thrown back a little.  
“The skeleton ghost is back and he now has a truck!” Arthur quickly explained as he tried to take a turn quickly but safely too.  
“What?” Vivi asked in shock. She quickly got to the front seat with Mystery and rolled down the window to see the truck in question. “That's so cool! He has to have a high spectrum level to be able to do that! I wonder if he will let me talk to him. HEY MR. GHOST! HOW DID YOU POSSESS THAT TRUCK?”  
“Vivi! Now isn't the time,” Arthur said as he made another sharp turn which caused the bluenette to be thrown into the van.  
“Come on Arthur, don't you always say to ‘seize the moment’?” Vivi teased as she finally buckled herself up.  
“No! Don't seize the moment when a big bad ghost is trying to kill us!” Arthur exclaimed.  
Vivi just laughed as she watched the ghost. There were many times where the ghost could have hit the van but it didn't. Unknowing to them, the ghost wanted Arthur dead but not Vivi. So it kept close to Arthur but never dared to hit him, at least not yet.  
Once they were off the swirling cliff road, they were on smooth land with nothing for the next six miles. The ghost took his chance and clipped the side of the van.  
Arthur cursed when he felt that clip and tried to straighten the van but it was no use. Vivi held onto Mystery as the van spun like a top before going off road. In the dirt, they had almost tipped but Arthur had just enough skill to stop it and the van, but doing so caused the engine to break.  
“Is everyone okay?” Arthur asked as he fought with his stomach not to hurl.  
“Yep,” Vivi said with a smile while holding a green faced Mystery.  
Arthur had tried to start the car again even if it would be futile but his door was, litterly, torn off the van. Arthur yelped when a very hot hand grabbed him by his shirt while another one ripped the seat belt off him.  
Vivi called out for Arthur in surprise as Arthur was yanked out of the van and thrown towards the truck. Vivi had tried to get out of the van but the small ghosts entered as Arthur left, trying to trap her and Mystery there.  
“No more interruptions. I'm finally going to kill you Arthur,” the ghost hissed as the fire from his hair do began to wrap his body.  
Arthur had tried to run but the ghost grabbed him by his throat and lifted him up. In a small attempt, Arthur grabbed the hand and tried to rip it away from his throat as he tried to kick him away. It was all for nothing as Arthur began to see dots in his vision and his flailing started to become weaker and weaker. Seeing death was close, he said his very last thought.  
“I’m...I'm sorry….Lewis,” he croaked out.  
This had the ghost angry as he threw him onto the ground. Arthur gasped as he was finally able to breath just as the ghost slammed his foot onto his back.  
“You’re sorry? Sorry isn't going to cut it! Sorry won't bring me back to life! Sorry isn't going to make me forgive you after what you done to me!” the ghost screamed.  
“W-what?” Arthur was confused on why the ghost was mad at him.  
Seeing the confusion, the ghost snarled. “You don't recognize me do you? Well, allow me to jog your memory!”  
The flames surrounded the ghost, enveloping him entirely. Soon the flames died and in his place was what he looked alive but with the same dead eyes.  
“L-Lewis! But..how?” Arthur gasped.  
“How? How?! Funny Arthur, I would think that killing your best friend would be something you won't ever forget!” Lewis said as he kicked Arthur with enough power to send him flying a little bit with some broken ribs. “Trust me, I haven't forgotten the feeling of your hand on me as you pushed me. I haven't forgotten how you laughed with joy as I was stabbed to death! I haven't forgotten how you chose my final resting place; and now, I've chosen this to be yours!”  
With Lewis above him, he summoned his fire into his hand, planning to burn the blond as he still cowered onto the ground. That was the plan but he was pushed aside by something big.  
With a bit shocked, Lewis levitated a bit away as he saw a giant dog with seven tails.  
“Leave Arthur alone Lewis,” a deep voice came from the giant creature. “Arthur didn't mean to kill you. He was possessed that night.”  
“I...I killed….I killed Lewis?” Arthur asked with shock.   
As he fought with his own mind, the wall he had created fell and he finally remembered. He remembered feeling as if his arm gone to sleep and he tried to shake it as Lewis commented on the danger. He felt the sleeping like feeling go up his arm, to his neck, and into his eye. After failed attempts to move, he tried to ask Lewis for help when his arm finally did move, just not in the way he wanted. He heard himself laugh even though he wanted to scream when his hand hit Lewis's shoulder and sent him flying down to his death. He then heard a growl and then felt sharp fangs tear into his arm right under the shoulder.  
Tears ran down Arthur's face as he finally got out of his memory. He saw through a blurry vision as Vivi tried to push the small ghosts away as Mystery and Lewis fought. He saw Mystery's tail began to glow red steadily and he somehow knew that it would be bad for anyone to touch it.  
“No!” Arthur called out as he ignored his own pain.  
He got to his feet and ran to Mystery and Lewis. Just as Mystery was to swipe Lewis with his tail, Arthur stood in between them and took the blow. Arthur's eyes opened wide at the pain as he felt his very soul being burned. Mystery called out to him while the last thing Arthur saw was Lewis looking confused, and worried.


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur had laid still in a black abyss and thought for a moment, if he was dead. He knew he stood in the way of a ghost being exorcised and it had cost him something. What he thought that price was his life.  
He kept his eyes closed for a while, not wanting to see the white light to take him somewhere. He thought for a moment, that somewhere would be hell and while he believed he deserved it, he didn't want to go.  
He had no choice but to open his eyes though when he heard Vivi begging him to open his eyes. He didn't want her to be sad and did what she asked. His eyes slowly opened and saw he was in the back of his van.  
“I'm not dead,” he said in shock.  
“Thank goodness,” Vivi said as she hugged.  
Arthur hissed in pain as his ribs was being crushed in her hold. Vivi apologized and pulled back away.  
“What happened?” Arthur asked in confused as he slowly sat up.  
Vivi looked to her left and Arthur followed her gaze. There was the ghost that he saved looking sad in his human guise.  
“Mystery...he tried to exorcise Lewis but you took the blow for him,” Vivi explained.  
“Lewis...that's your name?” Arthur asked, looking to the humanoid ghost.  
“You mean...you don't remember me?” Lewis asked.  
“Am I supposed to?” Arthur asked, feeling bad for the ghost.  
The ghost was silent for a moment before shaking his head. “No, you don't.”  
“Ah, but while you were passed out Lewis fixed the van using his ghostly powers in a way to apologize,” Vivi explained. “It turns out that Lewis got us confused for someone else.”  
“Yes, I'm sorry,” Lewis explained.  
“I forgive you,” Arthur said.  
“And Lewis is staying with us from now on,” Vivi quickly declared.  
“Really?” Arthur asked.  
“If you don't mind. I can't move on just yet and I don't wish to be alone anymore,” Lewis explained.  
Arthur rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about it. He didn't want a ghost to live with because, hey, he's a scaredy cat. But...something in him couldn't just kick the ghost to the curb.  
“I guess that's all right,” Arthur said.  
“Thank you,” Lewis said.  
“No problem,” Arthur shrugged. “I'll drive.”  
There was no complaints as Arthur crawled over the seat. When the car rolled away, Vivi looked to Lewis. “He doesn't remember you,” she said softly.  
“I know, it's better this way,” he said.  
Vivi placed her hand onto the ghosts arm to comfort him, not knowing that it made him feel even worse since she didn't remember him either.  
It took an hour to get to the apartment Arthur and Vivi rented together after the cave incident. While Vivi wanted to show Lewis around, he pushed her offer down for the time being, wanting to do something else.  
Lewis didn't return until after everyone was finished getting ready for bed and Vivi was helping Arthur cover his bruises with some ointment.  
“Welcome back,” Vivi said as she placed some of the ointment on Arthur's back.  
Arthur jumped slightly but soon relaxed. “Sorry,” Lewis said, knowing Arthur was now afraid of him.  
“No worries,” Arthur said with a shaky smile. “What do you have in your hands?”  
In Lewis's hand was a small velvet box. In the beginning, the box was blue but Lewis had replaced it with a dark blue, almost purple one. He had wanted to change it to yellow but he didn't know if that would be all right and chose a color as close as he could with the original one.  
“A gift, for you,” Lewis said as he handed Arthur the box.  
Arthur opened it up and saw a purple heart.  
“Wow, I can't accept this man,” Arthur said.  
“Please do,” Lewis said. “It once belonged to my friend. He gave it to me for good luck and told me to pass it on to someone who deserves it. You saved me today even though I tried to kill you. So keep it, because you deserve it more than me.”  
Arthur looked down to the purple heart and slowly nodded. “Okay, thank you.”  
“Hey Arthur, didn't you had a purple heart?” Vivi asked as she now bandaged him up.  
“Yeah, it was my dad’s,” he said.  
“What happened to it?”  
“I gave it to someone who helped me once,” Arthur said. “He saved me when I was in denial and I thought it would give him courage.”  
“That's so nice of you,” Vivi said. “What happened with the guy?”  
Arthur looked to Lewis and the ghost heart skipped a beat, thinking that Arthur remembered him. But the blond just shook his head as he said, “I don't remember.”

_The End_


End file.
